Social media companies must prioritize the fight against science misinformation by offering free, non-commercial access to data for researchers studying its origins, spread, and effects, a report published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends. 

“Universities and research institutions should help connect researchers with social media companies to improve access to reliable data,” the report says. “They must also ensure researchers remain independent of the companies.”

The report acknowledges the ubiquitousness of information and misinformation, “on our phones, televisions in the gym, [and] social media.”

 “Some of this misinformation is brain candy, simple entertainment, and inconsequential; some of it, though, has the potential to impact public health, inform policy responses, and shape people’s perceptions of the world,” the report points out. “If misinformation about science leads to beliefs that are in conflict with accepted science, the consequences can be profound.”

The report highlights the nuanced challenge posed by science misinformation, which becomes particularly concerning when it is strategically crafted and widely disseminated.

Misinformation about science, the report says, has greater potential for influence as “it originates from authoritative sources, is amplified by powerful actors, reaches large audiences, is targeted to specific populations, or is produced in a deliberate, customized, and organized fashion like tobacco industry campaigns to cast doubt about the health risks of smoking.”

More so, the systematic campaigns, which according to the report, are “intended to mislead the public about science-related issues like climate change, consequences of tobacco use, and heart disease are of particular concern given the associated negative outcomes for individuals and society.”

Emphasizes the need to understand the broader implications of systematic disinformation campaigns, the report calls for “understanding the effectiveness of existing approaches to address misinformation about science, either alone or in combination, with an eye toward better design, selection, and implementation.”

It highlights that a major challenge in studying misinformation about science is the lack of access to data from online platforms, which is often either unavailable or too expensive to obtain.

“As a potential solution to some of these data challenges, some countries have established mechanisms to facilitate adequate data sharing between online platforms and researchers. Overall, data on a wider range of platforms are still needed,” the report says.

“The ability to detect and study misinformation about science on social media platforms is currently limited by inconsistent rules for data access, cost prohibitive data restrictions, and privacy concerns,” it adds.

The report calls for a need to determine how historical and contemporary discrimination, systemic racism, and social determinants of health may compound the impacts of misinformation about science on disparate communities.

“Understanding the role of such factors is essential to more accurately identify and document community-level impacts of misinformation about science and determine the most important and relevant outcomes for a given science topic, community type, or context,” the report emphasizes in its findings and recommendations.

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